Days Go By
by Tsukino Akume
Summary: A look at life as a ninja sensei. And the Rangers thought things would get easier without their Powers?
1. Days Off

[Laughs] Oh, I just have to share this! I took a 'What Kind of Queer are You?' quiz at Quizilla. My result was gay as a Power Ranger. [Sniggers] Now I wanna know which Ranger I am.  
  
Disclaimer: Do you see Shane and Dustin flirting and making out in the T.V. series? No? Then I don't own them. [Sighs]  
  
[Scowls] I do not like this new QuickEdit thing. The horizontal divider thing is cool, but I can't add in any astricts! This sucks! [Pouts] And I can't put in smiley faces, either. I am seriously not happy with fanfiction.net right now. The system was fine the way it was. It didn't need changing, especially not for the worst.  
  
This is for Prinzessin and Angel Spirit (And Weesta, when she finally comes out of her closet) for joining my dark little corner of fandom. And because there still aren't nearly enough Shane/Dustin fics out there. And 'cause I wanted to write something absolutely fluffy. Not quite sure why I picked this title, other than that I have the theme song to Family Matters stuck in my head. This was meant to be a one-shot. It probably won't be, because I'm enjoying the tangent this plays in. It does not exist in the Forced Confessions universe, but after the series ends when they've lost their powers and become teachers at the Academy. Oh, and any similarities to Starhawk's Year of Thunder series are unintentional.  
  
Enjoy, my cohorts!   
  
Days Go By  
  
"That's good, Lyn." Dustin encouraged. "Just keep working on those visuals and sensing the energy around you, okay? Don't force anything."  
  
"Yes, Sensei."  
  
His head shot up as a bell chimed, and he visibly had to restrain himself from bouncing in place. "Class dismissed!" he announced quickly.  
  
Muffled laughter circulated the group as they dispersed. At last Angel, one of the braver students, called "Tell Sensei Clarke hello for us!"  
  
"Have a good time!" Eileen giggled, hurrying away before he could scold them.  
  
He smiled ruefully. The joys of teaching almost all female students. The girls liked to gossip about his relationship with Shane, which annoyed the other to no end. He didn't mind so much. It just proved they were more than open to the idea of their male teachers as a couple.  
  
Speaking of Shane...  
  
He hurried towards the portal. Shane was returning from his latest field trip today. He and Tori often took their students away from the Academy to train. Even Hunter with his students visited on occasion for storms, though the fact that Cam sat in on his classes when he was there didn't go unnoticed. Cam didn't leave for training all that often himself, but it wasn't unheard of.  
  
Dustin didn't really need to leave the Academy for his classes. The earth energies were at their strongest in the natural environment. He liked to take his beginners on an overnight camping trip to prove that point, but otherwise stayed where there was a steady supply of bandages and disinfectant for the unlucky student that was still learning how to phase through rocky ground. He often took over the others' responsibilities while they were away, which generally kept him busy enough to keep from missing them too terribly.  
  
Shane was a different story. He wasn't quite sure how it had come about. They'd always been friends of course, and were really close. It wasn't as if he'd never tried finding anyone. He'd tried again with Marah, and several other people, but never seemed to click.   
  
Then somehow he and Shane found themselves spending more and more time together as Tori dated Blake between his tours and Cam continued his unofficial relationship with Hunter, or hung out with each other in the absence of the Thunder Brothers. Inevitably, there had been a comment from one of his more curious new students, asking if he and Sensei Clarke were lovers. He'd denied it immediately, but had started to wonder. When he'd met Shane for dinner later that night, the other had asked what was wrong. After some coaxing, he'd confessed what the girl had said. Shane had dropped the subject immediately, and had seemed to avoid him for days. Then one night he appeared out of nowhere, pulling him off into the trees and kissing him. They'd been together ever since.  
  
He reached the portal at last, stopping beside Tori and Cam to slow his breathing. "Hey, guys."  
  
Tori laughed, reaching over to tussle his hair. "Hey, Dustin. Running late again?"  
  
"Girls didn't want to leave." he panted.   
  
"Ever the popular teacher." Cam deadpanned.  
  
"Don't let Shane hear that." Tori teased.  
  
"Don't let Shane hear what?"  
  
They all looked up as the red sparkle dimmed from the portal, Shane grinning at them all. His eyes seemed to soften when they met Dustin's, then looked away. He glanced back to the group, doing a quick survey. "Everyone here?"  
  
"Yes, Sensei!" they chorused.  
  
"Everybody in one piece?"  
  
"Yes, Sensei!"  
  
"Speak for yourself." someone whispered. "Those tree jumps were brutal!"  
  
A few muted giggles.  
  
Shane rolled his eyes. "Hah, hah. Very funny, Rick. Get cleaned up and unpacked, then grab something to eat. We'll start classes again tomorrow. Get out of here!" He waved a hand dismissively.  
  
"Later Sensei!"  
  
"Food!"  
  
"Can't we take like a week off?"  
  
"A shower! A real shower!"  
  
"No more mountain streams for me!"  
  
"Forget showers! We don't have to sleep on the ground tonight!"  
  
"Yeah!"  
  
Shane shook his head with an exasperated groan.  
  
Tori and Cam exchanged amused glances. "Air Ninjas." they sighed in unison.  
  
.Shane scowled at them. "Funny, guys."  
  
"It's a proven fact that Air Ninjas are more hot headed and loud mouthed than any other ninjas." Cam informed him.  
  
"Just like Water Ninjas are temperamental and impatient, and Samurai can't learn when to keep their mouths shut?" Shane shot back. None of them meant it, of course. Stereotyping Elements was an old joke among them all.  
  
"Good thing I get all the calm and easy going Earth Ninjas." Dustin couldn't resist putting in.  
  
The other three looked at him. "Then why are your students always giggling?" Tori countered.  
  
"And half of them end up in the infirmary after each class?" Cam added.  
  
He frowned. "Dude, I'm the one with mostly girls. It's not my fault they think about...other stuff when they're trying to phase through the ground."  
  
Compression dawned in Tori's eyes as she smirked. "Oh, so that's where all the debate started."  
  
"Debate?" Shane echoed.  
  
"On what's harder, the rocks, or Sensei Brooks' butt." she answered, winking.  
  
"Hey, that's privileged information." Shane protested. "And 'm the only one who's privileged enough to know."  
  
Dustin turned bright red.  
  
"I think that's our cute to leave the lovebirds alone." Cam said dryly.  
  
"Don't have too much fun." Tori called as they walked away. "At least not until you make it to your room!"  
  
Shane glared after her. He was tackled abruptly, knocked back a few steps with a fierce hug. He laughed, even as he hugged back just as tight. "Missed me?"  
  
"You have no idea." Dustin murmured.  
  
Shane brushed his curls from his face, kissing his forehead. Dustin lifted his chin immediately, and they kissed softly. Neither moved for a while, simply holding each other. Shane's hand had become tangled in Dustin's hair, his favorite thing to do, as he alternated between resting his head against the other man's and titling his head a bit for another kiss.  
  
"You should probably take your own advice, you know." Dustin said at last, his voice quiet. "Shower, food?"  
  
A mischievous glint sparkled in Shane's eyes. "Only if you promise to join me."  
  
Dustin grinned at him. "Why'd you think I said something?"  
  
There was a pause.  
  
"Last one there buys group dinner next get together!" Shane cried as he bolted.  
  
"Hey! No fair!"

* * *

Dustin returned to consciousness slowly. The first thing he was aware of was the dim lighting of the outside lanterns. It wasn't quite dawn yet, but he'd need to get up soon if he wanted breakfast before classes began.  
  
Then the feeling of smooth skin beneath his cheek sunk in, and strong arms around him. He was sprawled across the bed, blankets tangled around them. His eyes drifted upward to take in the peaceful expression on Shane's face as he slept. Not for the first time, he wished there were more mornings to wake up just like this.  
  
Unfortunately, he did need breakfast soon. With the ease of practice, he slowly slid out of Shane's arms and out of bed without managing to wake him. The other deserved his sleep after spending a week in the mountains with ten rowdy teenagers. He decided to bring breakfast to him today, giving him more of a chance to sleep in.  
  
He slipped on a training uniform, heading for the door in his bare feet. It was a bad habit he'd picked up after joining the Academy staff. It was easier for beginners to feel the earth's energy through their feet, and demonstrating it so often had made him forget shoes more often than not. Eventually he'd just given up on them all together, preferring the more natural feeling of dirt between his toes. The comfort was worth the others' teasing.  
  
He blinked in surprise when he opened the door to find a note taped to it.  
  
Dustin-  
  
We're returning the favor today, so make the best of it. Enjoy your day off together. And no details Shane!  
  
Love, Tori  
  
"Yes!" he whooped aloud, then clapped a hand over his mouth.  
  
There was a quiet chuckle behind him, and he turned sheepishly to see Shane braced up on his elbows, watching him with an amused smile. "Good news?" he asked softly.  
  
"The others are covering for us today." he answered. The corner of his mouth quirked. "And Tori says no details."  
  
"Damn." Shane muttered in mock disappointment.  
  
Dustin grinned wider. "I was gonna grab some breakfast. What d'you want?"  
  
Shane smirked, his gaze turning somewhat predatory. "You."  
  
Dustin flushed. "That's not what I meant and you know it." he complained.  
  
Shane's smirk widened as he sat up, allowing the sheet that was covering him to slip down into his lap. "I know. But you asked what I wanted."  
  
"To eat! What do you want to eat!" he groaned, letting his head fall back against the doorframe.  
  
"Exactly what I said."  
  
He started as arms wrapped around him, pulling him back into the room and firmly shutting and locking the door before he had a chance to protest.

* * *

"This is great!" Dustin sighed happily, stretching his arms out. "No classes, no students, no freaky old dudes glaring at us because we're not as strict as they are..." At the Academy, Dustin tended to speak more formally, rather than in the familiar surfer/valley talk from when he was younger. Off grounds in downtown Blue Bay Harbor, the accent appeared to be returning.  
  
"No shoes." Shane teased.  
  
Dustin pouted at him. "I'm comfortable." he protested. "Isn't that what counts?"  
  
Shane smiled, grabbing Dustin and pulling him close. "Nah. What counts is that we finally have a whole day for just us."  
  
A light scowl marred Dustin's features. "You mean half a day."  
  
Shane smirked. "You complaining?" he asked softly, leaning down to nuzzle his boyfriend's neck.  
  
"No." Dustin managed, struggling to hold in a moan. His neck was incredibly sensitive. "'C-Course not."  
  
"Good." Shane turned his head, kissing Dustin's cheek, then abruptly broke away and jogged ahead. "Let's check in on Kelly!"  
  
"Dude!" Dustin hollered after a moment to recover himself. "How many times do I have to tell you not to do that?!"  
  
"A whole lot more!" Shane shot back.  
  
Dustin glowered and ran after him.  
  
The inside of Storm Chargers hadn't changed that much since they'd last been here, nearly three years ago now. The real surprise was the boy working behind the counter, and the girl showing some of the clothing to a customer. "Too weird." Dustin murmured.  
  
Shane nodded as the boy looked up, blinking, and startled. "Uh...Se-Sir!" he stammered. "What are you doing here?"  
  
"Just visiting some old haunts." Shane answered smoothly. "What are you doing here, Marshall?"  
  
"Making some extra cash." he admitted, hastily adding "S-Sir."  
  
Marshall was one of Dustin's students, one of the first arrivals. He was most often seen as part of a trio, a Water Ninja named Rebecca, and Isaac, an Air Ninja. They were far from being the best students, but they tried hard. Cam often complained about how much they reminded him of another certain trio he'd known once.  
  
Dustin waved a hand. "It's okay. Don't worry about it off grounds."  
  
Marshall looked considerably relieved. "Rebecca, Isaac, and me have been working for Kelly for awhile now. She's been really cool about, you know, stuff."  
  
Dustin grinned as he spotted a familiar head of red hair through the doorway to the office. "That's 'cause Kelly's like, the most awesome boss ever." he said loudly, making sure to stress the accent.  
  
"Lucky for you!" she returned, coming out to greet them with a smile. "What are you two doing here?"  
  
Dustin gave her a hug, grinning wildly. "Just enjoying a day off, visiting old places."  
  
"Still employing the local punks?" Shane put in, laughing as Dustin glared and socked him in the shoulder.  
  
"What can I say? I'm a softie for the strays." Kelly answered dryly. "So what are you two doing now?"  
  
"We're martial arts teachers." Shane replied.  
  
She raised an eyebrow. "I don't even remember either of you taking classes."  
  
Dustin gave her a bright smile, blindingly clueless and innocent. "You never asked."  
  
She rolled her eyes, pausing at the sight of Dustin's bare feet. "I know you know the store policy, Dustin." she informed him pointedly.  
  
"No shirt, no shoes, no service." he recited dutifully, then fixed her with puppy dog eyes. "But I'm not looking for service. I just wanted to see you." he wheedled.  
  
She rolled her eyes. "If something falls on your foot, it's your own fault."  
  
"Dude, nothing's gonna happen!" he scoffed, walking backwards to hop up on the counter so he'd be out of the way.  
  
Shane's eyes widened. "Dustin, watch out!"  
  
His warning came a moment too late, as Dustin and the large pile of boxes collided. Dustin was sent sprawling, while boxes went everywhere. They revealed a startled Isaac, who's expression turned horrified when he saw what had happened, and to who. Dustin lay groaning, holding his head where he'd hit the counter.  
  
Shane was at his side in an instant. "How many fingers?" he demanded, titling Dustin's chin up carefully to check his eyes.  
  
"Six." Dustin muttered, rolling his eyes as he batted Shane's hands away. "Dude, I'm fine. My head just hurts a little. You okay, Isaac?"  
  
"I am so, so, so sorry." Isaac stammered, eyes wide. He was still sitting where he'd fallen, amidst the pile of boxes. Marshall and Rebecca rushed over to pull him to his feet, making sure he was okay.  
  
Dustin smiled reassuringly, running a hand through his hair to move the curls from his face. He paused to push Shane away again. "It's okay. You're not in trouble. At least with me, anyway." he added, glancing at Kelly. His former boss did not look happy. "I don't think Kelly's changed store policy about how many boxes you can carry at a time."  
  
"Nothing taller than you can see over." she affirmed, glaring at her employee.  
  
"But there's so much new inventory today!" Isaac protested. "And I've got classes at 4:00. I'd never get it done in time that way!"  
  
"Then you could have asked someone to help you." she shot back. The beginning of her rant was cut off by Dustin's yelp when he tried to push himself to his feet, and her gaze snapped to him. "You hurt your foot, didn't you?"  
  
"My feet are fine." Dustin answered, scowling in irritation as he made it to his feet. He hesitated as everyone continued to stare at him. "It's my shoulder." he confessed at last.  
  
Shane tried unsuccessfully to smother a laugh. "You sure you got over that klutzy stage?"  
  
Dustin glared and socked him in the shoulder again. "Not funny."  
  
"Um, S-uh..." Marshall paused, looking perplexed for a moment, then shrugged. "Didn't you hurt your shoulder in class a couple of days ago?"  
  
Dustin tried not to squirm under Shane's sharp glance. "I don't remember."  
  
Marshall looked startled as Dustin's discomfort went completely over his head. "How could you not remember that? That was the coolest thing! I've never seen anybody get that much air before they went under! Too bad about the rocks, though." he added in after thought. He yelped as Rebecca smacked him upside the head. "What was that for?"  
  
"You are so clueless." she sighed.  
  
"Air? Rocks?" Shane repeated slowly, staring at Dustin.  
  
Dustin bit his lip. {Don't take it out on the students. Don't take it out on the students.} he chanted mentally. It wasn't Marshall's fault he was oblivious. It seemed to be a requirement of Earth Ninjas to be a little air headed, not that he'd ever admit that on pain of death. "I was trying to demonstrate a Flip n' Fall." he said at last. A Flip n' Fall, as he preferred to call it-he could never remember the official name-was a flashy move that involved a high back flip before phasing into the ground. It took a lot of concentration to do correctly, and he'd been distracted by a yell from one of the girls. He'd immediately discovered that the patch of ground he'd chosen wasn't as much loose dirt as he thought it had been farther down. It was lucky that he'd only lost part of his focus, managing to just badly bruise his shoulder. If he'd lost it completely he could have ripped it open.  
  
He found out later that the yell had actually been from Marah, nearby in Cam's class. She'd been practicing her stances and nearly backed up over a skunk. In the end, the only damage done was to him. He hadn't wanted to hurt her feelings, so he'd never mentioned it to anyone. His students knew of course, mainly because they'd seen him wincing when he resurfaced, and he was forced to explain the reasons why he'd told them Flip n' Fall was an advanced move they wouldn't be learning for quite a while.  
  
Not that any of that would interest Shane. As strange as it seemed, Shane's possessiveness had increased drastically after they'd gotten together. All that he would see was that Dustin had been hurt demonstrating something his students didn't really need to know yet. The Dustin being hurt part would be the one that stuck most in his mind.   
  
"We should head back and have Cam take a look at you." Shane said at last, his tone offering no room for argument. Isaac flinched instinctively at it, recognizing the 'Because Sensei said so' voice.  
  
"I'm fine!" Dustin protected holding his arms out and spinning around for inspection. "See? No wobbling or anything!"  
  
"Uh-huh." Shane answered shortly, taking his arm and pulling him toward the door. "It was nice seeing you again, Kelly."  
  
"I hope you feel better Dustin!" she answered, watch as he struggled to make Shane let go.  
  
"I'm fine!" Dustin insisted, his voice beginning to sound like more of a whine.  
  
The last thing he heard as the door shut behind them was Isaac's whimper of "I am so dead when I show up for class today."

* * *

"He'll live." Cam declared at last. Ironically, even without their Ranger Powers, they still came to him with their injuries. Strangely enough, he'd never complained about keeping his team medic status.  
  
Dustin quickly tugged his shirt back down. "See?" he demanded of Shane. "You freaked over nothing. I'm fine."  
  
"I didn't say that." Cam corrected dryly, ignoring the look of betrayal he received. "I said you'll live."  
  
"What's the diagnosis?" Shane asked, frowning at Dustin.  
  
"Just badly bruised, but enough to make it tender." He lightly poked said shoulder to demonstrate, producing a yelp. "Nothing fancy for a few days. Try rubbing some oil or cream into it to loosen up the muscles." He shrugged. "Other than that, wait until it goes away."  
  
"Thanks, Cam."  
  
"Yeah, thanks a lot." Dustin muttered bitterly as he got up. "See if I ever help you sneak off to see Hunter again."  
  
Cam rolled his eyes. It was an empty threat and they all knew it. "I'll be sure and tell Tori what happened, then."  
  
Dustin paled. "You wouldn't! Dude, even you're not that cruel!"  
  
"But I am." Shane commented as he headed down the hall.  
  
Dustin's eyes went wide as he bolted after him.

* * *

"You hate me, don't you?"  
  
"I don't hate you."  
  
"Then why did you tell Tori? That was cruel! She'll never leave me alone again!"  
  
"If I didn't tell her, she would have found out anyway, and then we'd both be in trouble."  
  
"So it was just to save yourself."  
  
"It's not just that. I worry about you." A hand stroked Dustin's curls.  
  
He groaned. "This is more Heart Ninja stuff, isn't it?"  
  
"Well, you are our Heart. You can't tell us not to worry about you."  
  
He pouted, burying his head in his arms. "I can try."  
  
Shane sighed in frustration, and he pictured the way he'd be clenching and unclenching his fists in an effort to stay calm.   
  
He was startled out of his thoughts by something cool pouring on his back. His shirt had been taken earlier by Tori during the struggle to see his shoulder, and he had yet to get it back. Then thoughts of the shirt quickly fled as warm hands began to gently massage whatever it was into his shoulder.  
  
He moaned softly, nearly purring in ecstasy. "That feels so good, dude..."  
  
Shane didn't answer, and he immersed himself in the soothing sensation. He was falling asleep when he felt a kiss on his cheek. "I love you." Shane murmured. "You know that, right?"  
  
"Love you, too." he answered sleepily. "Even if you are a traitor."  
  
Shane just sighed, chuckling softly.  
  
Dustin felt a warm body laid down beside him, and an arm slung around his waist. He snuggled into the warmth, burying his face in Shane's neck. A hand quickly found its way into his curls, and he smiled. "You are so obsessed with my hair." he mumbled.  
  
"Nah. Just you."  
  
A light kiss on the top of his head, and allowed himself to be lured into darkness by the scent of pine and mountain air. 


	2. Bad Days

And Days Go By officially becomes a series!

I **finally** got to see the Dino Thunder/Ninja Storm team up (Thunder Storm?) awhile ago. I **love** Dustin in the beginning! "What happened here?" "We totally kicked their butts!" -Snickers-

Anywho, it gave me an idea of something that could have happened during the time the Wind Rangers were evil. And then I couldn't leave the ending hanging... -Grins- And then I had **another** idea, which I still can't stop giggling over. And **now** I have the inklings of an idea to continue a point mentioned in the next section. I'm also more than open to requests for mini-plots of Shane and Dustin running around the academy, so feel free to suggest some.

In the meantime, enjoy!

Bad Days

He should have expected it when his dismissal was met with silence. He wasn't paying much attention, though, too busy cleaning up from the day's lesson. The whole class had been quiet and without problems, which is what should have alerted him. But it didn't.

"Sensei...?" came a hesitant voice.

He actually jumped, turning to look at his students in surprise. "Uh, yeah? What is it?" He blinked as he realized that none of them had left yet, and frowned. "What's wrong?"

"That's what we wanted to ask you." Angel informed him, but her eyes were worried.

"Did something happen Sensei?" Eileen asked.

"You don't seem like...yourself." Marshall put in.

They **must** be worried; Marshall didn't stutter once.

"I'm fine." he assured them, forcing his usual grin to his face. "No worries."

Audrey stepped towards him to put a hand on his arm, her eyes dark with concern. He knew he was in trouble now; his students were never this forward. "But we **are** worried, Sensei." she told him softly. Her eyes searched his. "Does this have anything to do with Sensei Clarke?"

He flinched instinctively, his eyes filling with pain and fear. "Y-you guys are such worrywarts." he scoffed weakly. "Now class dismissed. I've got work to do. Go on; get out of here."

"But Sensei-"

"Go." he said sharply. He hadn't meant to; he could see the hurt in their eyes. But it got the point across as they finally left him alone.

He leaned his head back against a tree, closing his eyes. Half of his students were Heart-Type Ninjas, which seriously stunk sometimes. They were more sensitive to his emotions, and more persistent about making sure he was all right. And the ones that weren't Heart-Types listened to the ones that were. Not to mention Eileen being a Mind meant she overanalyzed him **constantly**. It was a seriously bad combination.

He pushed himself up after a moment, sighing. Stretching, he opened his eyes and moved to finish his clean up. He froze.

Shane was staring at him from across the clearing.

He ducked his head down, hurriedly gathering everything he needed and headed back to the Academy. He had a lot of stuff to do after all. He didn't have time to hang around.

* * *

"Hey, Dustin!" 

He turned, blinking, and lit up instantly. "Dude! Blake! Hunter!" He embraced each one enthusiastically, thumping each other on the back before stepping back to beam at them both. "I thought you guys were already gone. What are you doing here?"

"Thought we'd stay a bit for a little visit." Hunter replied, giving a slight smile at Dustin's enthusiasm.

"I never get to see you guys anymore." Blake agreed.

Dustin grinned. "So who's fault is that?"

He received a scowl in return. "Very funny."

"So, what have you been up to lately?" Hunter asked, leaning back against a tree.

"Teaching, training, and more teaching." Dustin sighed. He flashed them both another smile. "Some of the new students are a real handful."

"And that's all you've been doing?" Blake shook his head disapprovingly. "You've gotta get out more, man."

He shrugged. "Never have the time." He glanced at his watch. "You guys wanna grab some lunch from the cafeteria? I don't have another class 'til one."

"Sure."

"Sounds good to me."

Dustin beamed.

As they walked together, talking and laughing over recent events in each other's lives, Dustin reveled in the feeling. For a moment, all that mattered was spending time with two of his best friends that he hadn't seen in ages. He teased, joked, and moaned in jealousy. And for that wonderful, brief span of time, he was able to forget...

"Hey, what's up with that?" Blake interrupted Hunter, pointing.

Dustin blinked, turning to look at the open door. "It's just a closet, dude. Someone must have forgot to shut it all the way."

Almost as if on cue, a loud thump came from inside, followed by a muffled curse.

"Sounds occupied to me." Hunter commented, smirking at Blake.

Dustin groaned, completely missing the looks exchanged between the brothers. "Man, I **hate** doing the whole discipline thing." he complained, even as he headed to the closet. Sighing, he reached for the door and opened it wide. "All right guys, break it-"

Something shoved him hard in the back, forcing him to stumble. He barely had time to protest before everything when dark. The last thing he heard was the sound of a lock sliding into place, and a chair bracing against a door.

* * *

Dustin muttered darkly, rubbing his head. "Oh, **real** nice, guys. Very mature." he grumbled, pushing himself away from the soft surface he'd landed on. "Okay, you got me. Now let me out." 

No one answered him.

He felt around blindly for the door handle. Predictably, it didn't turn under his hand. "Come on, guys! Lemme out already. The joke's over."

"It's not a joke." came a soft voice from behind him. "It was my idea. Blake and Hunter agreed to help."

Abruptly, Dustin realized just what the soft object he'd landed on was.

"I had to get you to talk to me somehow." Shane continued. Dustin couldn't see him, but he could still feel that intense, searching gaze.

He kept his eyes on the door, refusing to turn around. "You could have just asked, dude. I mean, seriously. Isn't this a little-"

"Dustin."

He shut up.

There was a sigh. "What do I have to do to make it up to you?" Shane demanded. There was a thump, and another muffled curse. "I didn't mean it." he said quietly after a moment. "You know I didn't. Don't you?" There was a note of pleading to his tone.

"Of course I know." Dustin muttered back, unconsciously rubbing his arms as he wrapped them around himself. He leaned against a wall, tilting his head back as he tried to ignore the bucket digging into his calf. "You...I know."

_-"Well, I think we should-"_

_A sharp, stinging pain in his cheek as he stared, stunned. Distantly, he could hear the sound of Tori's laughter._

_"I'm the leader here. I do the thinking. I don't need to hear stupid ideas from a brainless idiot."-_

He shuddered, bowing his head.

Arms came around him, leaving no way to fight them in the cramped position he was in. "How many times do I have to say I'm sorry?" Shane whispered. "You're **not** stupid. I've never thought you were. I..." A hand came up to brush his left cheek gently, tenderly.

He flinched.

He could feel the pain that welled up in Shane from that simple movement. "I...I'm sorry." he mumbled. "I just...keep seeing it. And every time I do, I..."

This time the fingers were followed by lips, brushing feather-light against his skin. "I'm so, so sorry, Dustin. I wish I could take it all back."

(_But you can't!_) he cried silently. (_Maybe you wouldn't have said it if you weren't under a spell, but that doesn't mean you haven't thought it. And once you've said something you can't take it back!_)

"I love you."

He blinked.

He looked up slowly, his eyes somehow managing to find Shane's in the darkness. His body was tense and awkward, but his eyes pleaded sincerity. "I love you." he repeated, his voice soft, the words tense and quick.

It wasn't the first time he'd said it. But Shane wasn't so good with words, so he like to show how much he cared. As a Body-Type Ninja, he was very physical when it came to demonstrating affection. He **showed** Dustin his feelings constantly, but saying it was much harder for him. He preferred to believe that Dustin could feel it, or understand how he felt by the way he acted towards him.

Which he did. But there was a difference between knowing Shane loved him, and hearing Shane say it himself. A big difference, as his senses reminded him quite abruptly why Sensei had told him he was a Heart-Type Ninja when he'd first started training.

The emotions were so overwhelming that If he didn't say something soon, he was going to end up bawling like a girl. So instead, he chose to follow Shane's usual methods. Leaning forward, he tilted his head slightly and enforced all his feelings in one simple kiss.

The arms around him tightened, pulling him closer. Inevitably, one hand somehow found its way into his hair, winding into his curls. He pulled back a little with a laugh he couldn't hold in, leaning his head against Shane's chest as he chuckled. "Dude, you are **so **obsessed."

Shane sighed in response, the arm around his waist squeezing tighter. "Forgive me?" he asked after a moment.

Dustin bit his lip, wavering. Shaking his head, he shoved the thoughts and insecurities away, leading himself soak in Shane's presence instead. "Yeah. It wasn't really you." he agreed. He allowed his heart one last ache at the memory of Shane glaring at him and slapping him across the face before firmly pushing it out of his mind for good.

There was a long, comfortable and soothing silence as they stood wrapped in each other's arms. After awhile however, the broom sticking into Dustin's back reminded him that supply closets were not the most romantic of places to be. He reached for his wrist and frowned. "Shane? Did you bring your morpher to tell Blake and Hunter when to let us out?"

There was a long pause.

"Fudge."


	3. Days in a Closet

A continuation of the end of Bad Days, because no one can resist the thought of two guys locked in a closet together. ;-)

Special thanks to my Shi-chan for her advice on what two guys locked in a closet would talk about. More thanks to the lovely Weesta, who helped developed the levels of Ninja Types mentioned here in our 'Ninja Color Philosophy' discussions. Speaking of... -Pokes Weesta repeatedly- MORE CROSSING PATHS AND HELL HATH NO FURY!

* * *

Days in a Closet

"Stupid...why would they...arrgh!"

"That's not going to stop the floor from being cement." Shane's tone was filled with amusement, and he could tell he was still smiling.

"What kind of Ninja Academy uses cement floors?!" Dustin shot back hotly.

He wouldn't normally have lost his almost non-existent temper so easily. Dustin was well-known for his relaxed, laidback personality. But he also wouldn't normally have had a pile of cleaning supplies rain down on his head when tried to phase through the ground, resulting in him buried under a pile of old mops with a bucket stuck on his head like some sort of bizarre military cap. Shane still couldn't quite stop laughing at him.

"One that doesn't want it's Earth Ninjas trying to ditch class?" Shane offered in return.

Dustin settled for another angry humph.

He chuckled. "Come on. We're obviously not going anywhere for awhile. Just sit down already."

Dustin sighed and started to plop down. "Fine." he grumbled.

Shane cleared his throat.

Dustin paused, blinking, and flushed abruptly. "Oh. Right." He fidgeted slightly before moving to sit in Shane's lap, leaning back against his boyfriend. He tried to force himself to relax; this was **Shane** after all. But he just...

"You're still mad at me."

Shane's voice was flat and emotionless, making Dustin wince. Unfortunately, being a Body-Type Ninja also meant Shane had an uncanny way of interpreting body language; Hunter was the same way. Which meant it was darn near **impossible** to hide anything from either of them.

"I'm not." he protested weakly. He could feel _irritation_ and _hurt_ well up through Shane. He sighed again, flopping back completely as his head fell against Shane's shoulder, leaning toward his neck.

"Ow!"

He looked up, startled, and winced. "Oops?" he offered weakly.

Shane scowled, rubbing his chin where the bucket-still stuck on Dustin's head-had hit him. "Thanks." he muttered bitterly.

Dustin looked pained. "I'm sorry."

Shane sighed, turning to look at him. After a moment, he reached up to try and remove the bucket. Frowning, he tugged harder. "That's...really stuck on there."

Dustin scowled in response. "I wasn't exactly leaving it for show, dude."

Shane smiled slightly, letting go. For a moment, they just stared into one another's eyes. The longer they stared, the longer the silence stretched. Dustin **wanted** to lean forward and close that short distance, but...

Shane looked away, closing his eyes.

Dustin blinked, startled, then glanced down. Shane's hands were still on his arms. Which meant...he'd just...heard everything he was thinking...

Darnit.

"What is it going to take?"

He looked up again. "Huh?"

"What is it going to take before you can forgive me?" Shane asked quietly. He still wasn't looking at him. "What can I do? Is there even any way **to** fix this? Is this... Can we even be friends anymore?"

Dustin's eyes went wide, and he threw his arms around Shane in a hug that bordered more on a tackle. "Dude! Don't say stuff like that!" he protested. "We're **always** gonna be friends! Remember? We promised when we're old and gray in the rest home with oxygen tanks and blankets in our laps and too tired to do anything but play cards and watch T.V., we'll still be friends! We **promised**!"

Shane chuckled softly. "I remember." He paused, glancing at Dustin out of the corner of his eye with an odd look on his face. "That was after our first fight."

Dustin blinked, then slowly began to smile at the memory.

They hadn't known each other when they'd all first joined the academy. They'd been in separate classes as well, which meant there was no reason for them to know each other. But all three of them had received an after-class punishment for slacking off (Shane), lack of attention (Dustin), and inadvertently attacking a teacher (Tori). Forced to polish the academy floors, they had started bickering with each other. One thing had lead to another, and soon the three of them were brawling. Then suddenly Dustin had slipped on a newly polished floor, accidentally grabbing Tori in the process, who latched onto Shane, and they'd all ended up in a heap, groaning in pain. It was only seconds before they all burst out laughing at the stupidity of the situation. After awhile, Dustin had grinned and proclaimed that this meant they **must** be friends, because only friends do stupid things together. Shane and Tori had found themselves agreeing, to their own amusement. And then Dustin had informed them that this was a friendship that would last all the way into senility and old age, and would end with them still bickering-because that was the way all great friendships went.

"And we're still friends, aren't we?" Dustin said after a moment reflective silence. "Even with...everything that's changed between us..." He couldn't help flushing at the memory of just how 'close' they often became. "We're still friends."

Shane smiled. "Yeah."

Dustin looked up at him. Biting his lip, he sighed and went for total honesty. "I know you didn't mean it. But you said it. Even if you wouldn't have said it if we weren't all evil-like and stuff, that means you've thought it. It hurt." he confessed softly, looking down. Even though they had bickered constantly when not attacking the Dino Thunder Rangers, that moment had sent a stab of pain through his heart. He'd brushed it off, but once his head was clear enough to think again, he couldn't **stop** thinking about it.

A hand slowly lifted his chin, and warm lips pressed gently against his own.

One of the things that made kissing so enjoyable was the fact that Shane was a Body-Type, and Dustin was a Heart-Type. Body-Types communicated silently through touch, while Heart-Type were often considered openly emotional. The combination of the two meant that everything Dustin was feeling Shane would sense through physical contact, and be able to send back. Every emotion and thought between them could be relayed in a single instant, and since kissing often came with a burst of emotion...

When Shane finally pulled back, Dustin was feeling a little light-headed. "Wow." he murmured.

"Yeah." Shane breathed, slightly panting.

They looked at each other.

_Love_. _Guilt_. _Hurt_. _Fear_. _Pain_. _Regret_. _Trust_. _Acceptance_. _Friendship_. _Love_. _Love_. _Love_...

A noise of approval as a kiss deepened. Hands wandering. Fabric giving way to bare skin. Soft, caresses, gentle touches. Gasps, quiet moans...

* * *

"You do it."

"Uh-uh. I can tell from here. You do it."

Hunter scowled at his brother. "**You're** the one who agreed to this. **You** do it."

Blake raised an eyebrow. "And **you** told me what Shane wanted to do. **You** do it."

"Oh, for goodness' sake!" Tori huffed, pushing her way between them to remove the chair and unlock the door. She would say she thought this was a bit extreme, but with these two...

Her eyes went wide.

"Told you." Hunter muttered.

Quietly, she shut the door, making sure to leave it unlocked. All three of them made a hasty exit. Whenever one of them happened to try the door, they'd be able to leave; that should be enough. There was no way anyone was disturbing them **now**.

"Why was Dustin wearing a bucket on his head?" Blake wondered aloud.


End file.
